Ukraine and Russia to hold talks in Abu Dhabi with US mediation, Witkoff says

Steve Witkoff, the special representative of US President Donald Trump, has announced that Russia and Ukraine will hold working-level talks in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, on 10–11 November. In a post on the social network X, Witkoff said the United States will act as mediator, supporting Trump's mission to end the war that Russia launched against Ukraine.

According to Witkoff, the discussions will focus on post-war security arrangements, de-escalation, humanitarian measures and the next steps toward peace.

Meeting in Brussels

Witkoff also said that American negotiators will meet representatives of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the European Union and NATO in Brussels this week. The agenda includes security guarantees for Ukraine, Europe's post-war security architecture and economic opportunities for supporting Ukraine's reconstruction.

He expressed hope of building on the progress made in Kyiv, Oslo and St Petersburg toward a comprehensive, lasting peace agreement that would ensure security for future generations.

Background

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently said he was ready to meet Russian leader Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Istanbul to discuss the terms for ending the war. Earlier, Trump said he had no problem inviting Zelensky to the G20 summit in Miami in December, to which the United States had previously invited Putin.

At the end of October, talks involving Zelensky, Witkoff and European leaders took place in Oslo, covering territorial issues, security and Ukraine's post-war development. Witkoff also visited St Petersburg, where he met Putin and discussed achieving peace in Ukraine.